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Gophers remain winless in Big Ten as Maryland pulls away in second half

Minnesota led after 20 minutes but couldn't hold off the Terrapins Monday night.
Nolan O'Hara|
Minnesota forward Dawson Garcia drives to the basket as Maryland center Derik Queen defends during the first half at Xfinity Center in College Park, Md., on Jan. 13, 2025.
Minnesota forward Dawson Garcia drives to the basket as Maryland center Derik Queen defends during the first half at Xfinity Center in College Park, Md., on Jan. 13, 2025. | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Golden Gophers

A Big Ten victory remains elusive for the Gophers men's basketball team.

The Gophers started strong and led at the halftime break, but they were unable to slow Maryland and Derik Queen in a
77-71 loss Monday night at Xfinity Center in College Park, Md. The U (8-9, 0-6 Big Ten) is yet to win a conference game.

It's Minnesota's fourth straight loss overall.

Queen, who scored a game-high 27 points, was able to help the Terrapins (13-4, 3-3) pull away in the second half. They shot 56% from the field after the break, and Queen, their leading scorer, scored 18 of their 45 second-half points.

Minnesota shot 50% from the field in the first half and knocked down five 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes, including two apiece from Dawson Garcia and Isaac Asuma, who scored 12 and 10 points, respectively, in the first half.

But the offense slowed down for the U in the second half, which included an over four-minute stretch in which the team didn't make a field goal. The Gophers held Maryland scoreless for over two minutes of action as they cut their deficit to 62-57, but the Terrapins answered with a 6-0 run for an 11-point lead with 3 minutes, 51 seconds remaining.

That was pretty much game over.

Garcia and Asuma were the drivers of the Gophers offense. Garcia finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Asuma scored 15 points. Lu'Cye Patterson added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Rodney Rice added 21 points and Ja'Kobi Gillespie had 15 points and seven assists for the Terrapins.

The Gophers will remain on the hunt for their first Big Ten win when they return to action on Thursday and host Michigan at Williams Arena in Minneapolis for a 6 p.m. tipoff in a game that will be nationally televised on FS1.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

Nolan O'Hara covers all things Minnesota sports, primarily the Timberwolves, for Bring Me The News and Sports Illustrated's On SI network. He previously worked as a copy editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism. His work has appeared in the Pioneer Press, Ratchet & Wrench magazine, the Minnesota Daily and a number of local newspapers in Minnesota, among other publications.

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